State in Nepal

The Constitution vests sovereignty and State authority in the Nepali people and protects fundamental rights, the rule of law and checks among public institutions. The President is head of State, while the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers lead the federal executive. The Federal Parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the permanent National Assembly. The Supreme Court is the highest court, supported by High Courts and District Courts, while provinces and local levels have their own assemblies and executives. Nepal has three government levels: federal, provincial and local. The country has 77 districts as administrative units and 77 District Coordination Committees. Local government consists of six metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration supports local-government capacity, service facilitation and intergovernmental coordination. The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers coordinates cabinet work, government responsibilities, federal relations, national security and digital governance. The Constitution assigns exclusive and shared powers through Schedules 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Federal, provincial and local governments therefore do not perform every function through the same authority. Federal law, sector-specific law and intergovernmental coordination resolve overlaps. A public service may be accessed through the responsible ministry, province or local level, depending on the service, documents, fees and statutory procedure. Civil-service recruitment mainly follows examinations and recommendations by the Public Service Commission, while provincial and local staffing also depends on federal or provincial law. Each government level operates a Consolidated Fund and receives money from its own revenue, shared revenue, natural-resource royalties and transfers. Transfers include revenue sharing, royalty sharing, fiscal equalization, conditional, complementary and special grants. The National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission recommends revenue-sharing arrangements, equalization and conditional-grant bases, borrowing limits and the distribution of natural-resource returns. The FY 2026/27 Budget Speech and intergovernmental-transfer framework provide current fiscal parameters, but exact amounts vary by financial year, province and local level. Public bodies also follow rules on budgeting, procurement, accounting, auditing and reporting. Oversight is divided among several institutions. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority investigates corruption and abuse of authority by public-office holders and may file cases. The Office of the Auditor General audits federal, provincial and local offices, constitutional bodies, courts, state-owned enterprises and security bodies. Parliamentary committees, including the Public Accounts Committee, provide political scrutiny. The National Human Rights Commission investigates rights concerns and issues recommendations, while the National Information Commission oversees access to public information. The Constitution also establishes the Attorney General, Constitutional Council and other constitutional bodies. Article 27 of the Constitution and the Right to Information Act 2007 allow Nepali citizens to request their own or public-interest information from public bodies. A request normally goes to the information officer. The body should release information immediately where possible, or within 15 days; information concerning life or safety has a 24-hour timeframe. The requester pays the prescribed actual cost. A complaint may go to the chief of the body within seven days, followed by an appeal to the National Information Commission within 35 days. Exemptions cover matters such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, public order, criminal investigations, commercial confidentiality, privacy and safety. Security responsibilities are also distributed. The National Security Council and the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers coordinate national security. The Ministry of Defence and Nepal Army handle external defence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and disaster support. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Nepal Police handle internal security, public order and crime prevention or investigation. Armed Police Force Nepal supports responses to armed conflict, terrorism, riots, border security, disasters and protected sites or persons. The National Investigation Department provides intelligence. Civilian access follows the responsible emergency or security body rather than a general command channel. Public authorities owe legality, transparency, accountability, cooperation with audits and protection of rights. There is no single State-wide fee or deadline for every service: the responsible level, service rules, required documents and statutory schedule determine the procedure. Elections, civil-law disputes and historical development belong primarily to separate subject areas, although they may intersect with Nepal’s State institutions.